Page 12 of If We Meet Again

“Okay, I’ll take that feedback on board.” Megan wiped at her damp forehead; the humidity barely tolerable. “What is your day offthis week?”

“Thursday. Why? Are you free?”

Megan bounced the basketball at her feet twice before gathering the ball under her arm again.

“I can be free.”

“So, if I said I’d like to take you out, would that be something you’d be interested in?”

Megan beamed, “Sure, I’d like that. Do you haveany ideas?”

“Leave it with me; I’ll think of something. It will probably involve food.”

“Well, yesterday you confirmed you are, in fact, a food connoisseur, so I’ll be expectingbig things.”

“I won’t disappoint you.”

“How about you choose the food and I will choose the activity after the food?” Megan glanced across the street; it didn’t look familiar.Perhaps a wrong turn,she thought.

“You are assuming we will make it past the food? That’s presumptuous, don’tyou think?”

“You’re right, but just in case.”

The sound of Ashley’s hoarse laugh on the other end of the phone left Megan unable to control the smileon her face.

“Okay, well I will look forward to food and maybe somethingafter that.”

“Me too.”

After walking a block further than intended, Megan turned back. The welcome distraction on the other end of the line filled her with excitement that consumed her focus.

“Where are you heading?”

“Just to get some practice in. I need to stay sharp, so I go for an hour or twoevery day.”

“Which courts?”

“The ones onWest 46th.”

“I know the ones, there’s a really nice Korean place just up from there, on the corner of 10thavenue. I would recommend it. Providing you like Korean food.”

Megan’s eyes lit up at the prospect. “I love Korean food. Do they serve Kimchi Stew?”

“They do the best Kimchi Stew, trust me.”

“You’ve sold it to me. I’ll grab a dish on the way home.” Megan’s mouth watered at the thought. “Did you say you livedin Midtown?”

“Yes, I live in Chelsea and I work in West Village.”

“Where do you work?”

“A bar called Analogue.”

“Do you like working there?”

“It’s not what I aspire to do, but it pays the bills. The tips are great, a hell of a lot better than the last place I worked so I can hardly complain.”

“And what is it you aspire to do?”